1922-S VAM-1AA
Error
Description
Discovered in 2012 by David Close, VAM-1AA reveals concentric lines at the date and from D through WE on the 1922-S Peace Dollar obverse — artifacts of lathe tooling on the die blank face before the design was hubbed. These concentric marks, classified as "Tooling Circles Lower Obverse" under II1 - B1a with I-3 interest level and R-5 rarity (30–75 known), provide a fascinating window into die manufacturing at the San Francisco Mint. Before a working die received its design impression from the hub, the raw die blank was turned on a lathe to create a smooth, flat striking face. Occasionally, the lathe left faint concentric circles that weren't fully obliterated by the hubbing process, and these survived onto finished coins as subtle circular lines intersecting with Anthony de Francisci's design elements. Lathe tooling marks are among the more unusual die manufacturing artifacts documented in the Peace Dollar VAM system.
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